Senate debates
Wednesday, 28 March 2007
Questions without Notice
Child Care
2:55 pm
Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
My question is to Senator Scullion, Minister for Community Services. Is the minister aware that analysis by ANZ chief economist Saul Eslake has shown that the cost of child care has risen by 58.6 per cent since July 2000? Hasn’t the rapidly rising cost of child care outstripped health and education costs over that period? Didn’t Mr Eslake conclude that the average family’s ability to afford child care has ‘decreased substantially’ in the last five years? Don’t these findings reflect the fact that 28 per cent of carers are likely to leave the workforce in the future in order to reduce childcare costs? Don’t these findings show that under the Howard government childcare costs are an increasing financial pressure on families?
Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Community Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
I thank the senator for the question. As I have said in this place at another time, I think there is just one very important fact with regard to both the cost and the availability of child care. Child care has never been more affordable or available. It has been more affordable and available under this government than it ever was under Labor. That is an important overriding point.
Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Community Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
In terms of the cost of child care, it is well known that we have spent over $10 billion on child care. In fact we spent $10.1 billion on child care in the first six years of our term. In the last six years of the Labor term, they only spent $3.9 billion. We have doubled it in real terms, so any implication that this government is not concerned about the cost of child care is absolute rubbish.
In terms of the statistics that are sneaking around the place, particularly with regard to the very vague connection between industrial relations and the provision of child care and accessing the workplace, it is very important to note that the ABS figures that came out as recently as yesterday found that 31 per cent of women named caring for children as their main reason for not actively looking for work. I saw a whole range of media headlines—for example, ‘Child care still parent job hurdle’—but those parents have chosen to stay home and look after their children.
George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Minister for the Arts and Sport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
It’s about choice.
Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Community Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
As my colleague Senator Brandis rightly points out, that is a choice. We are about choice. This is a government that fundamentally believes in choice for the family. That is the reason we deliver the childcare benefit and the childcare rebate. We deliver that to the families so they can take advantage of the very best areas with regard to the spatial areas where they live and the type of child care they want. That is why we have tailored our child care to ensure that the family makes the choice. It is, after all, all about choice.
Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Corporate Governance and Responsibility) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
There’s a 58 per cent increase!
Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Community Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
As for availability of child care, the Labor Party have the option of starting 600 new lists of child care. I do not know how that is supposed to make it easier. I can recall in this place, and I would remind them, that this government has a very simple policy. We have a hotline number and the number is: 1800 670305. I commend it to the Australian people and to those on the other side, because instantaneously you can actually get on the phone and find out what child care is available in this area.
Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
What’s the terrorist hotline number?
Paul Calvert (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Order! Senators on my left! There is too much noise.
Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Community Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Those interjections relating to what the terrorist hotline number is really throw some light on those people on the other side and on their interest in child care. It is a very important issue. That is why we have ensured convenience through our hotline number. We have provided choice and flexibility. Now what we have done is said, ‘We’re going to ensure that we have a process that makes it easy for parents to actually select what child care they want in the particular area that they wish.’
Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I would have to say that, in the short time that I have been in the Senate, that is the clearest indication of a minister being so out of touch and arrogant that I have had to date. Is the minister aware that over the last 10 years, going back to 1996-97, the cost of child care has almost doubled, rising 99 per cent? How does the minister expect average families to cope when the cost of essential services doubles every 10 years? Isn’t it a fact that the Howard government has failed to ensure families can access affordable child care?
Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Community Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
I thank the senator for her supplementary question.
Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Try answering it this time.
Paul Calvert (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Order! Senator Polley, you have asked your supplementary question.
Michael Forshaw (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Mr President, I rise on a point of order. I draw to your attention that Senator Boswell is interjecting while out of his seat.
Paul Calvert (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
If Senator Boswell is interjecting I would ask him to resume his place.
Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Community Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
The supplementary went straight to the alternative policies and the policies of this government and looked historically back to 1996 and talked about facts. I would like to put on the record a single fact. In just eight years under Labor, real fees increased by 47 per cent or $60.75. In 10 years under the coalition real fees increased by 22 per cent or $41.89. If you want to talk about child care, stick to the coalition’s policies.
Nick Minchin (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance and Administration) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Mr President, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.